[akots]

Also consider that corporate and state employment ethics is different in the USA. Europe is more on the socialist side of the things IMO. In the USA, you are never supposed to know the salary of any people around. Of course, eventually with time, you get to know things. Otherwise, it is all absolutely confidential ideally. Another thing is that people do not normally stay in one place for too long. It all depends and this is very general. However, in state universities at least in Texas, salaries of top management and top researchers are sometimes public and having a presedent or chancellor with $1 mil paycheck is not that uncommon. Considering that a good neurosurgeon or good heart transplant surgeon can earn $2 mil, it is not something very unusual. I guess people take it easy there.